Newsletter

Posted March 17, 2012 12:18 am

Our view: Spring festival fun is here

Lighthouse Community Festival is 20 years old

Springtime is here. We know that for two reasons. The Lions Club’s 31st annual Seafood Festival has transformed Francis Field downtown into a festival place and the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum is opening its doors for free for its 20th annual community fest. The good news is that the way the events are timed, anyone can attend both and truly enjoy the day.

We suggest you do just that.

Seafood Festival takes place today and Sunday at Francis Field on Castillo Drive, just off U.S. 1 downtown. Today, the gates are open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Either day, there is lots to do from eating a lot of seafood from plenty of restaurants to browsing some 100 arts and crafts vendors set up in a mini-mall fashion. There’s entertainment each day and activities for kids, too. Live entertainment for young and young at heart. There’s even a “pirates landing” where everything pirate is on hand to get you into the city’s latest craze, including “real pirates.”

And if seafood isn’t your thing, other food is on sale, too. You won’t go hungry. You won’t want to leave either and for sure, you will want to be there today and Sunday.

Admission is $2 for adults. Children under 12 are free. Proceeds benefit Lions Club charities. Check out www.lionsfestival.com for more information.

Lighthouse Community Festival is 20 years old

For the 20th year, everyone is invited to tour the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum today, free of charge. And if you are at least 44 inches tall, you can also climb the 219 steps to the top of the lighthouse. Children under 12 can go up, too, if an adult is with them. We suggest everyone give it a try. There are landings along the way for rest, too.

There’s simply no view like the one from the red top of the lighthouse. Take deep breaths and focus on the goal. That 360-degree panorama is worth every step.

Back on the ground, tour the Lightkeeper’s house, too, and learn how the keepers and their families lived from the 1870s through the mid-1900s. While admission and the tower climb are free, food will be for sale, plenty of it to feed every hunger. Kids will enjoy the bounce house, pony rides, maritime crafts.

Archaeology including displays from the Florida Public Archaeology Network, St. Augustine Archaeological Association and the Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program will provide a glimpse into our past, and the nature trail is great for exploring. Bring chairs, blankets and enjoy the grassy and tree-shaded grounds as you listen to live entertainment throughout the day.

The festival is from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. We suggest you get there as soon as you can because lines will form early.

If you are looking to run, at 4 p.m., St. Augustine’s Michelob Ultra’s 5K Run/Walk begins followed by the Fun Run at 5 p.m. Walk-up registration closes at 3:30 p.m.

The Lighthouse Festival benefits programs and projects of the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum and the Junior Service League of St. Augustine. For more information, go to www.staugustinelighthouse.org or call 829-0745.

Because of the timing of the Seafood and the Lighthouse festivals, there’s no reason why everyone cannot enjoy both of them. It’s the best way to enjoy Springtime in St. Augustine.